SINGING LESSONS & MASTERCLASSES

Jacqueline is passionate about teaching people to find their authentic sound and connection to singing. She incorporates a holistic and intuitive approach to developing the individual voice, building confidence, correcting posture and identifying physical & emotional blocks that restrict the voice. While she specialises in jazz and Brazilian repertoire and improvisation, she also works with students in their desired genre to help release the potential of the voice. Jacqueline assists students to implement correct techniques in order to facilitate a clean, efficient vocal sound, avoid injury, increase production, improve pitch and clarity, and navigate different sounds and styles. Having trained as a classical pianist through her childhood and with a multi-instrumental background, Jacqueline can also assist with song writing, theory, piano skills, performance techniques and performance psychology.

Jacqueline is a sessional tutor and assessor at Monash University, Melbourne Polytechnic and Victorian College of the Arts, and has been a vocal tutor at Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, RMIT and many other secondary & tertiary institutions, as well as privately by appointment.

choir & vocal group direction

Jacqueline loves her work as a creative director of choirs and vocal ensembles and is a warm, inclusive, spontaneous and energetic teacher who draws on her many years of experience as a singer/composer with award-winning vocal quintet Coco's Lunch. Jacqueline is passionate about teaching original vocal material by Australian composers, as well as sourcing innovative repertoire from a vast musical landscape that encompasses African, Brazilian, Jazz, contemporary & pop genres and beyond. Her vocal ensembles often sing in foreign languages and play percussion, as well as exploring body percussion, polyrhythms & vocal improvisation.

Jacqueline is currently Director of the Jazz Vocal Ensemble in the Bachelor of Music Performance program at Monash University (Melbourne). For years she also directed the Bachelor of Music Performance Jazz Vocal Ensemble at Melbourne Polytechnic and also the National Year of Reading Choir ‘Off The Shelf’ in Melbourne. Jacqueline has directed the Victorian College of the Arts Foundation choir, and been a guest director for many vocal ensembles and choral groups including Monash University Choral Society (MONUCS), Yirriba and the Sweet Monas. She has conducted workshops, short courses and artist in residence programs at institutions such as Ballarat and Queen's Anglican Grammar School, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) and Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School (VCASS), as well as for countless festivals, schools & venues nationally and internationally with Coco's Lunch.

Jacqueline's choir workshops may be taught predominantly aurally and with no requirement for reading music, and often include a strong focus on rhythm, creativity, humour and energising the body and breath. Alternatively, workshops may be directed to an advanced level, with all sheet music provided.

'Absolutely loved the way Jacq taught us, I felt safe to explore solo soprano parts, and I adored all the songs we covered, especially the jazz numbers.Thanks Jacq for your brilliance and fun approach to singing.' Melinda, Yirriba

West African drumming & singing workshops

Jacqueline is a trained West African percussionist and works together with Simone Lang, director of Drummergirl, to offer combined West African singing and drumming workshops for communities, schools, corporate events and multicultural events and festivals. Jacqueline and Simone provide energetic, engaging and rhythmically charged interactive workshops teaching djembe, dununs and African song - encompassing the history & culture of West African music in a hands-on experience.

'The workshop presented by Jacq Gawler and Simone Lang at the 2014 Monash University Jazz Camp was educational, interactive and inspirational! Sharing their deep knowledge on African drumming tradition, performance and songwriting, Gawler and Lang provided articulate instruction interspersed with mesmerising performance and engaging anecdotal experiences from their travels.' Paul Williamson, Lecturer in Jazz & Popular Music, Sir Zelman Cowan School of Music, Monash University

'Jacqueline and Simone bring an infectious joy and enthusiasm to everything they do. They have created a wonderful inclusive musical environment infused with warmth and humour. Jacqueline has created a safe relaxed space where both complete beginners and more experienced singers can explore their voices, and Simone has converted me to African drumming with her passion and deep respect for the culture.' Sara, Muladhara Room workshops, Melbourne